Excerpts taken from Our Created Moon by Don DeYoung and John Whitcomb, used by permission, Masterbooks, publisher.

How Old is the Moon? - click here to read the answer to this question

If the moon is young, why does it look old?

This question is frequently asked about the earth's age.  How can the recent-creation position possibly be defended in the light of our surroundings?  We see deep valleys, eroded mountain ranges, and thick sediment deposits.  Many of our national parks with their cliffs and valleys are described as "monuments to time."  On the moon, as well, we see craters from the distant past, soil that has been pulverized by many impacts, and rounded hills that are regarded as "ancient."

We respectfully suggest that these many features are not ancient, nor do they actually look old when inspected carefully.  The important factor in aging is the rate of change in the past.  Although the earth and moon may show only small changes today, this does not mean present rates have always existed.  With the earth, events such as the Genesis flood rapidly altered the entire surface of the planet.  Instead of an ancient appearance, the earth's crust can be interpreted as greatly disturbed by the global Flood.  This includes tectonic activity, worldwide flood deposits, and the fossil record. 

Aside from crater, lava flows, and duct accumulation, the moon's surface may appear much as it did at the time of creation.  That is, it may well have been formed with its rolling hills, highlands, and low areas.  To say that the moon looks old is to show a prior assumption of a long time scale.  As a comparison, the Garden of Eden on Earth was surely created with soil and full-grown trees.  There was an immediate appearance of age or maturity. 

A further answer to this question of appearance concerns rapid changes occurring on the earth.  For example, the Mount St. Helens volcano of Washington state erupted in 1980.  Observers were astounded at the near-instantaneous change of the landscape for many miles around.  This included massive mudflows, explosive destruction of forests, and rapid erosion by moving water.  Then, in the following years, a rapid healing of the land began.  Vegetation grew back and animal life returned.  A visitor today might guess that the volcanic eruption took place centuries ago, followed by a gradual recovery.  Such events as Mount St. Helens show how misleading landscape appearance can seem, whether on the earth or moon.